ErickArnell
First Post
I'm looking to describe Middle Earth skin-changers for a LotR campaign I am developing (like Beorn in The Hobbit, who changes into a black bear.)
Obviously if PCs are going to take this balance is a big concern. I've settled on a "birthright feat" mechanic, only available at first level to show that it is somehow "in the blood". Let me know if you have suggestions, or think it should be done better through some other way.
SKIN-CHANGER
Prerequisite: Human
Benefit: You can take the form of one animal, chosen at character creation, as a standard action. Clothing and equipment are not affected during the change. You can change a number of times equal to your level per day, with no limit on the duration you can maintain your animal form each time. Upon changing, you regain lost hit points as if you had rested for a night (though this healing does not restore temporary ability damage and provide other benefits of resting; and changing back does not heal you further).
You gain the Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores of the animal form but retain your own Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You also gain all extraordinary special attacks and special qualities possessed by the form. You gain all physical characteristics of the animal, and lose the capacity of normal speech.
While in animal form, you maintain your hit dice, but your hit points are modified by your animal form’s Constitution score, rather than that of your human form.
While in animal form, you maintain your level-based saving throw bonuses, although the animal form’s Dexterity and Constitution will modify the saving throws.
While in animal form, you maintain your skill ranks, but Strength-, Dexterity-, and Constitution-based checks use the animal form’s ability score modifiers. Some animals also have racial bonuses to specific skills, which also apply while in animal form.
Due to your affinity with your animal form, you receive a +2 bonus to all Handle Animal checks at all times, but also suffer a –4 penalty to all Charisma-based checks with non-animals.
Special: This feat can only be taken at first level. It counts as BOTH of the feats that humans receive at first level.
Example Animals:
BEAR, BLACK
Medium Animal
Initiative: +1
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 13 (+1 Dex, +2 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+6
Attack: Claw +6 melee (1d4+4)
Full Attack: 2 claws +6 melee (1d4+4) and bite +1 melee (1d6+2)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Abilities: Str 19, Dex 13, Con 15, Int unchanged, Wis unchanged, Cha unchanged
Black bears can be pure black, blond, or cinnamon in color and are rarely more than 5 feet long.
Combat
Black bears rip prey with their claws and teeth.
Skills: A black bear has a +4 racial bonus on Swim checks.
BOAR
Medium Animal
Initiative: +0
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 16 (+6 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+4
Attack: Gore +4 melee (1d8+3)
Full Attack: Gore +4 melee (1d8+3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Ferocity
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 10, Con 17, Int unchanged, Wis unchanged, Cha unchanged
A boar is covered in coarse, grayish-black fur. Adult males are about 4 feet long and 3 feet high at the shoulder.
Combat
Ferocity (Ex): A boar is such a tenacious combatant that it continues to fight without penalty even while disabled or dying.
EAGLE
Small Animal
Initiative: +2
Speed: 10 ft. (2 squares), fly 80 ft. (average)
Armor Class: 14 (+1 size, +2 Dex, +1 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/–4
Attack: Talons +3 melee (1d4)
Full Attack: 2 talons +3 melee (1d4) and bite –2 melee (1d4)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Low-light vision
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 15, Con 12, Int unchanged, Wis unchanged, Cha unchanged
These birds of prey inhabit nearly every terrain and climate, though they all prefer high, secluded nesting spots.
A typical eagle is about 3 feet long and has a wingspan of about 7 feet. The statistics presented here can describe any similar-sized, diurnal bird of prey.
Combat
Eagles dive at prey, raking with their powerful talons.
Skills: Eagles have a +8 racial bonus on Spot checks.
Feats: The Weapon Finesse feat applies to an eagle’s talon and bite attacks.
LEOPARD
Medium Animal
Initiative: +4
Speed: 40 ft (8 squares), climb 20 ft.
Armor Class: 15 (+4 Dex, +1 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 11
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+5
Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d6+3)
Full Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d6+3) and 2 claws +1 melee (1d3+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Improved grab, pounce, rake 1d3+1
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 19, Con 15, Int unchanged, Wis unchanged, Cha unchanged
These jungle cats are about 4 feet long and weigh about 120 pounds. The statistics presented here can describe any feline of similar size, such as jaguars, panthers, and mountain lions.
Combat
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a leopard must hit with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can rake.
Pounce (Ex): If a leopard charges a foe, it can make a full attack, including two rake attacks.
Rake (Ex): Attack bonus +6 melee, damage 1d3+1.
Skills: Leopards have a +8 racial bonus on Jump checks and a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks. Leopards have a +8 racial bonus on Balance and Climb checks. A leopard can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened.
Feats: The Weapon Finesse feat applies to a leopard’s bite and claw attacks.
WOLVERINE
Medium Animal
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), burrow 10 ft., climb 10 ft.
Armor Class: 14 (+2 Dex, +2 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+4
Attack: Claw +4 melee (1d4+2)
Full Attack: 2 claws +4 melee (1d4+2) and bite –1 melee (1d6+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Rage
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 15, Con 19, Int unchanged, Wis unchanged, Cha unchanged
These creatures are similar to badgers but are bigger, stronger, and even more ferocious.
COMBAT
Rage (Ex): A wolverine that takes damage in combat flies into a berserk rage on its next turn, clawing and biting madly until either it or its opponent is dead. It gains +4 to Strength, +4 to Constitution, and –2 to Armor Class. The creature cannot end its rage voluntarily.
Skills: Wolverines have a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.
Obviously if PCs are going to take this balance is a big concern. I've settled on a "birthright feat" mechanic, only available at first level to show that it is somehow "in the blood". Let me know if you have suggestions, or think it should be done better through some other way.
SKIN-CHANGER
Prerequisite: Human
Benefit: You can take the form of one animal, chosen at character creation, as a standard action. Clothing and equipment are not affected during the change. You can change a number of times equal to your level per day, with no limit on the duration you can maintain your animal form each time. Upon changing, you regain lost hit points as if you had rested for a night (though this healing does not restore temporary ability damage and provide other benefits of resting; and changing back does not heal you further).
You gain the Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores of the animal form but retain your own Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You also gain all extraordinary special attacks and special qualities possessed by the form. You gain all physical characteristics of the animal, and lose the capacity of normal speech.
While in animal form, you maintain your hit dice, but your hit points are modified by your animal form’s Constitution score, rather than that of your human form.
While in animal form, you maintain your level-based saving throw bonuses, although the animal form’s Dexterity and Constitution will modify the saving throws.
While in animal form, you maintain your skill ranks, but Strength-, Dexterity-, and Constitution-based checks use the animal form’s ability score modifiers. Some animals also have racial bonuses to specific skills, which also apply while in animal form.
Due to your affinity with your animal form, you receive a +2 bonus to all Handle Animal checks at all times, but also suffer a –4 penalty to all Charisma-based checks with non-animals.
Special: This feat can only be taken at first level. It counts as BOTH of the feats that humans receive at first level.
Example Animals:
BEAR, BLACK
Medium Animal
Initiative: +1
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 13 (+1 Dex, +2 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+6
Attack: Claw +6 melee (1d4+4)
Full Attack: 2 claws +6 melee (1d4+4) and bite +1 melee (1d6+2)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Abilities: Str 19, Dex 13, Con 15, Int unchanged, Wis unchanged, Cha unchanged
Black bears can be pure black, blond, or cinnamon in color and are rarely more than 5 feet long.
Combat
Black bears rip prey with their claws and teeth.
Skills: A black bear has a +4 racial bonus on Swim checks.
BOAR
Medium Animal
Initiative: +0
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 16 (+6 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+4
Attack: Gore +4 melee (1d8+3)
Full Attack: Gore +4 melee (1d8+3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Ferocity
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 10, Con 17, Int unchanged, Wis unchanged, Cha unchanged
A boar is covered in coarse, grayish-black fur. Adult males are about 4 feet long and 3 feet high at the shoulder.
Combat
Ferocity (Ex): A boar is such a tenacious combatant that it continues to fight without penalty even while disabled or dying.
EAGLE
Small Animal
Initiative: +2
Speed: 10 ft. (2 squares), fly 80 ft. (average)
Armor Class: 14 (+1 size, +2 Dex, +1 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/–4
Attack: Talons +3 melee (1d4)
Full Attack: 2 talons +3 melee (1d4) and bite –2 melee (1d4)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Low-light vision
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 15, Con 12, Int unchanged, Wis unchanged, Cha unchanged
These birds of prey inhabit nearly every terrain and climate, though they all prefer high, secluded nesting spots.
A typical eagle is about 3 feet long and has a wingspan of about 7 feet. The statistics presented here can describe any similar-sized, diurnal bird of prey.
Combat
Eagles dive at prey, raking with their powerful talons.
Skills: Eagles have a +8 racial bonus on Spot checks.
Feats: The Weapon Finesse feat applies to an eagle’s talon and bite attacks.
LEOPARD
Medium Animal
Initiative: +4
Speed: 40 ft (8 squares), climb 20 ft.
Armor Class: 15 (+4 Dex, +1 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 11
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+5
Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d6+3)
Full Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d6+3) and 2 claws +1 melee (1d3+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Improved grab, pounce, rake 1d3+1
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 19, Con 15, Int unchanged, Wis unchanged, Cha unchanged
These jungle cats are about 4 feet long and weigh about 120 pounds. The statistics presented here can describe any feline of similar size, such as jaguars, panthers, and mountain lions.
Combat
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a leopard must hit with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can rake.
Pounce (Ex): If a leopard charges a foe, it can make a full attack, including two rake attacks.
Rake (Ex): Attack bonus +6 melee, damage 1d3+1.
Skills: Leopards have a +8 racial bonus on Jump checks and a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks. Leopards have a +8 racial bonus on Balance and Climb checks. A leopard can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened.
Feats: The Weapon Finesse feat applies to a leopard’s bite and claw attacks.
WOLVERINE
Medium Animal
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), burrow 10 ft., climb 10 ft.
Armor Class: 14 (+2 Dex, +2 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+4
Attack: Claw +4 melee (1d4+2)
Full Attack: 2 claws +4 melee (1d4+2) and bite –1 melee (1d6+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Rage
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 15, Con 19, Int unchanged, Wis unchanged, Cha unchanged
These creatures are similar to badgers but are bigger, stronger, and even more ferocious.
COMBAT
Rage (Ex): A wolverine that takes damage in combat flies into a berserk rage on its next turn, clawing and biting madly until either it or its opponent is dead. It gains +4 to Strength, +4 to Constitution, and –2 to Armor Class. The creature cannot end its rage voluntarily.
Skills: Wolverines have a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.
